benita-第35节
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perceived wounded Matabele staggering and crawling back towards their
camp。 Of these; the light now better; Jacob did not neglect to take
his toll。
Meanwhile; the ancient fortress rang with the hideous tumult of the
attack。 It was evident that again and again; as their fierce war…
shouts proclaimed; the Matabele were striving to scale the wall; and
again and again were beaten back by the raking rifle fire。 Once a
triumphant yell seemed to announce their success。 The fire slackened
and Benita grew pale with fear。
〃The Makalanga cowards are bolting;〃 muttered Mr。 Clifford; listening
with terrible anxiety。
But if so their courage came back to them; for presently the guns
cracked louder and more incessant than before; and the savage cries of
〃Kill! Kill! Kill!〃 dwindled and died away。 Another five minutes and
the Matabele were in full retreat; bearing with them many dead and
wounded men upon their backs or stretched out on the ladders。
〃Our Makalanga friends should be grateful to us for those hundred
rifles;〃 said Jacob as he loaded and fired rapidly; sending his
bullets wherever the clusters were thickest。 〃Had it not been for them
their throats would have been cut by now;〃 he added; 〃for they could
never have stopped those savages with the spear。〃
〃Yes; and ours too before nightfall;〃 said Benita with a shudder; for
the sight of this desperate fray and fear of how it might end had
sickened her。 〃Thank Heaven; it is over! Perhaps they will give up the
siege and go away。〃
But; notwithstanding their costly defeat; for they had lost over a
hundred men; the Matabele; who were afraid to return to Buluwayo
except as victors; did nothing of the sort。 They only cut down a
quantity of reeds and scrub; and moved their camp nearly to the banks
of the river; placing it in such a position that it could no longer be
searched by the fire of the two white men。 Here they sat themselves
down sullenly; hoping to starve out the garrison or to find some other
way of entering the fortress。
Now Meyer's shooting having come to an end for lack of men to shoot
at; since the enemy exposed themselves no more; he was again able to
give his full attention to the matter of the treasure hunt。
As nothing could be found in the cave he devoted himself to the
outside enclosure which; it may be remembered; was grown over with
grass and trees and crowded with ruins。 In the most important of these
ruins they began to dig somewhat aimlessly; and were rewarded by
finding a certain amount of gold in the shape of beads and ornaments;
and a few more skeletons of ancients。 But of the Portuguese hoard
there was no sign。 Thus it came about that they grew gloomier day by
day; till at last they scarcely spoke to each other。 Jacob's angry
disappointment was written on his face; and Benita was filled with
despair; since to escape from their gaoler above and the Matabele
below seemed impossible。 Moreover; she had another cause for anxiety。
The ill…health which had been threatening her father for a long while
now fell upon him in earnest; so that of a sudden he became a very old
man。 His strength and energy left him; and his mind was so filled with
remorse for what he held to be his crime in bringing his daughter to
this awful place; and with terror for the fate that threatened her;
that he could think of nothing else。 In vain did she try to comfort
him。 He would only wring his hands and groan; praying that God and she
would forgive him。 Now; too; Meyer's mastery over him became
continually more evident。 Mr。 Clifford implored the man; almost with
tears; to unblock the wall and allow them to go down to the Makalanga。
He even tried to bribe him with the offer of all his share of the
treasure; if it were found; and when that failed; of his property in
the Transvaal。
But Jacob only told him roughly not to be a fool; as they had to see
the thing through together。 Then he would go again and brood by
himself; and Benita noticed that he always took his rifle or a pistol
with him。 Evidently he feared lest her father should catch him
unprepared; and take the law into his own hands by means of a sudden
bullet。
One comfort she had; however: although he watched her closely; the Jew
never tried to molest her in any way; not even with more of his
enigmatic and amorous speeches。 By degrees; indeed; she came to
believe that all this was gone from his mind; or that he had abandoned
his advances as hopeless。
A week passed since the Matabele attack; and nothing had happened。 The
Makalanga took no notice of them; and so far as she was aware the old
Molimo never attempted to climb the blocked wall or otherwise to
communicate with them; a thing so strange that; knowing his affection
for her; Benita came to the conclusion that he must be dead; killed
perhaps in the attack。 Even Jacob Meyer had abandoned his digging; and
sat about all day doing nothing but think。
Their meal that night was a miserable affair; since in the first place
provisions were running short and there was little to eat; and in the
second no one spoke a word。 Benita could swallow no food; she was
weary of that sun…dried trek…ox; for since Meyer had blocked the wall
they had little else。 But by good fortune there remained plenty of
coffee; and of this she drank two cups; which Jacob prepared and
handed to her with much politeness。 It tasted very bitter to her; but
this; Benita reflected; was because they lacked milk and sugar。 Supper
ended; Meyer rose and bowed to her; muttering that he was going to
bed; and a few minutes later Mr。 Clifford followed his example。 She
went with her father to the hut beneath the tree; and having helped
him to remove his coat; which now he seemed to find difficulty in
doing for himself; bade him good…night and returned to the fire。
It was very lonely there in the silence; for no sound came from either
the Matabele or the Makalanga camps; and the bright moonlight seemed
to people the place with fantastic shadows that looked alive。 Benita
cried a little now that her father could not see her; and then also
sought refuge in bed。 Evidently the end; whatever it might be; was
near; and of it she could not bear to think。 Moreover; her eyes were
strangely heavy; so much so that before she had finished saying her
prayers sleep fell upon her; and she knew no more。
Had she remained as wakeful as it was often her fate to be during
those fearful days; towards midnight she might have heard some light…
footed creature creeping to her tent; and seen that the moon…rays
which flowed through the gaping and ill…closed flap were cut off by
the figure of a man with glowing eyes; whose projected arms waved over
her mysteriously。 But Benita neither heard nor saw。 In her drugged
rest she did not know that her sleep turned gradually to a magic
swoon。 She had no knowledge of her rising; or of how she threw her
thick cloak about her; lit her lamp; and; in obedience to that
beckoning finger; glided from the tent。 She never heard her father
stumble from his hut; disturbed by the sound of footsteps; or the
words that passed between him and Jacob Meyer; while; lamp in hand;
she stood near them like a strengthless ghost。
〃If you dare to wake her;〃 hissed Jacob; 〃I tell you that she will
die; and afterwards you shall die;〃 and he fingered the pistol at his
belt。 〃No harm shall come to herI swear it! Follow and see。 Man;
man; be silent; our fortunes hang on it。〃
Then; overcome also by the strange fierceness of that voice and gaze;
he followed。
On they go to the winding neck of the cavern; first Jacob walking
backwards like the herald of majesty; then majesty itself in the shape
of this long…haired; death…like woman; cloaked and bearing in her hand
the light; and last; behind; the old; white…bearded man; like Time
following Beauty to the grave。 Now they were in the great cavern; and
now; avoiding the open tombs; the well mouth and the altar; they stood
beneath the crucifix。
〃Be seated;〃 said Meyer; and the entranced Benita sat herself down
upon the steps at the foot of the cross; placing the lamp on the rock
pavement before her; and bowing her head till her hair fell upon her
naked feet and hid them。 He held his hands above her for a while; then
asked:
〃Do you sleep?〃
〃I sleep;〃 came the strange; slow answer。
〃Is your spirit awake?〃
〃It is awake。〃
〃Command it to travel backwards through the ages to the beginning; and
tell me what you see here。〃
〃I see a rugged cave and wild folk dwelling in it; an old man is dying
yonder;〃 and she pointed to the right; 〃and a black woman with a babe
at her breast tends him。 A man; it is her husband; enters the cave。 He
holds a torch in one hand; and with the other drags a buck。〃
〃Cease;〃 said Meyer。 〃How long is this ago?〃
〃Thirty…three thousand two hundred and one years;〃 came the answer;
spoken